Introduction

One of the continuing challenges facing society is the security and protection of information assets. Recent attacks on the nation's information technology infrastructure highlight the need for information security. In a 2003 CSI/FBI survey, 92 percent of respondents had detected computer security breaches in the previous year and 75 percent reported financial losses as a result.

The events of September 11 accelerated longstanding concerns about the threat of cyberterrorism and the vulnerability of the nation's information systems and communications networks. As a result, there is a recognized need for professionals trained in information security and assurance to address these issues.

Program Overview

The Master of Science (M.S.) in Information Security and Assurance degree program at Robert Morris University prepares information technology professionals to recognize and combat information systems threats and vulnerabilities. The degree cultivates an appropriate knowledge of computer security, increasing the likelihood that the next generation of IT workers will have the background needed to design and develop systems that are engineered to be reliable and secure.

In addition to the traditional MS Information Security and Assurance, as of the Spring 2013 term, a new Enterprise Systems Concentration has been added to the degree. The 30-credit Master of Science (M.S.) Information Security & Assurance-Enterprise Systems Concentration degree program at Robert Morris University prepares information technology professionals for the challenges of developing and maintaining secure mainframe-based enterprise information systems in organizations facing the dynamic challenges of cyber-terrorism and world-wide security challenges.

Course work covers the administration, management and technologies of information security. In this program, you will learn to:

Describe threats to information security

Identify tools and techniques for combating these threats

Explain integral parts of good information security practices

Understand issues related to access control

Understand principles of good information security policies

Develop information security policies

Understand technical details of common countermeasures

Evaluate countermeasures and understand appropriate use

Create deployment plans for countermeasures

Apply technical knowledge to simulated deployment issues

Create deployment plans including impact and risk management

Program Prerequisite

A prerequisite for this program is coursework in any object-oriented computer language. This prerequisite can be satisfied by demonstrating a "C" grade or better in an equivalent undergraduate course or by successfully completing an approved undergraduate course at Robert Morris University.

Curriculum

The M.S. in Information Security and Assurance is a 30-credit degree program comprised of 21 credits of required courses and nine credits chosen from advanced communications and information systems electives.